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Guessing game: Gonzaga wing Julian Strawther projected as second-round draft pick

jim meehan, the spokesman-review, spokane, wash.
·4 min read

Jun. 19—Gonzaga won't be represented in the green room at Thursday's NBA draft and it's likely there won't be a Zag selected in the first round for the first time since 2020.

Julian Strawther may have to wait a little longer to hear his name called than his former teammates — No. 2 overall Chet Holmgren and No. 31 Andrew Nembhard in 2022; No. 5 Jalen Suggs and No. 15 Corey Kispert in 2021 — but there's plenty of intrigue about potential landing spots for the sharpshooting wing when the draft unfolds at 5 p.m. Pacific at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

Charlotte seems to be the most popular destination for Strawther, who kept his name in the draft after earning All-West Coast Conference first-team honors as a junior. NBAdraftroom.com, Bleacher Report and Tankathon project Strawther going to the Hornets, who have three of the first 11 picks in the second round.

The 6-foot-7 Strawther is listed at No. 28 to Utah near the end of the first round, according to NBAdraft.net, but most outlets place the Las Vegas native in the top half of second round. And that could put Strawther on an NBA roster with a former Zag.

An NBAdraft.net mock from last week had Strawther joining Nembhard on the Indiana Pacers with the 32nd pick. Yahoo Sports projects Strawther at No. 36 to Sacramento, which is led by former Zag standout Domantas Sabonis.

"Strawther put up positive offensive metrics that were pretty impressive at Gonzaga," according to Yahoo Sports. "He shot 40.8% from 3 and 46.9% from the field during the season and showed touch in the mid-range in his decision-making off the dribble. Defensively, he sometimes lacks the quickness to guard off the switch and can get caught in mismatch situations."

ESPN.com predicts the Los Angeles Lakers, which acquired former GU standout Rui Hachimura from Washington last season, taking Strawther at No. 47. CBSsports.com has Strawther staying on the West Coast and joining Portland with the No. 43 pick.

"If Portland is serious about making a run and consolidating assets to maximize Damian Lillard's prime years, Strawther would make sense as an instant-offense addition," CBSsports.com wrote. "He shoots a smooth ball and rated in the 97th percentile last season as a spot-up shooter, per Synergy data."

Strawther is considered Gonzaga's top draft prospect. Forward Drew Timme, a three-time All-American, doesn't appear in most two-round mock drafts. If he goes undrafted, Timme could generate strong interest as a candidate for a two-way contract.

Timme, who worked out for the Lakers on Monday, was a prolific scorer for the Zags the last three seasons, but NBA evaluators are skeptical of his perimeter shooting and ability to guard in space. The 6-foot-10 Texas native is No. 57 on the Athletic's big board and rated No. 70 by NBAdraftroom.com.

"He has terrific hand-eye coordination, elite footwork and knows exactly how to use his frame. He catches everything thrown to him. On top of that, he's an energy-giver who plays with real emotion," the Athletic wrote. "Timme's physical tools remain the biggest question. He's not overly explosive as a leaper and he doesn't move particularly well laterally.

"He's also undersized for the center position. This is a tough set of tools to crack in terms of finding a role defensively. It's hard, right now at least, to see Timme becoming a passable defender in today's NBA."

Guard Malachi Smith, who opted to stay in the draft instead of returning to GU for a fifth season of eligibility, has had a handful of workouts with NBA squads in the last week or so. He is No. 73 on NBAdraftroom.com's big board and ranked No. 97 by the Athletic.

Washington State's Mouhamed Gueye seems to be trending as a mid-to-late second-round selection. The Ringer, NBAdraftroom.com and Yahoo project the 6-11, 210-pound forward going to Memphis with either the 45th or 56th picks.

The Clippers are a potential landing spot at No. 48, according to ESPN, while Bleacher Report has Gueye at No. 52 to Phoenix.

"After reclassifying a year early in high school, Gueye is only 20 years old and presents a lot of upside as a swing forward in the NBA," Yahoo wrote. "He has fluidity to his game and is mobile in the paint with solid footwork and decent hands. He averaged 17.8 points and 10.4 rebounds per 40 minutes this season at Washington State."

Gueye, who was first-team All-Pac-12 as a sophomore last season, didn't make CBSsports.com's or NBAdraft.net's two-round mock drafts. The Senegal native is No. 63 on the Athletic's big board.

WSU guard Justin Powell, who made 42.6% on 3-point attempts and averaged 10.4 points as a junior, is ranked No. 77 by NBAdraftroom.com and No. 90 by the Athletic.